Severo and Deep Impact from last years lap of honor at Equitour. Photo credit: H2R
For today´s Grand Prix freestyle it was just with 6 combinations at start
Not surpricingly Severo Jurado Lopez and Deep Impact won again today. They showed a very strong freestyle. They both looked super motivated and focused on the job today, and Severo really stepped up the degree of difficulty for his freestyle with among one times with one hand, series on curved track and last but lot least coming from the one times out of the corner going into piaffe transition and turn at A for the final centerline. A pleasure to watch them grow together as this is just their second season at international level. They will for sure be ready for Tryon later this year.
2nd today was Kathleen Keller with San Royal. They showed a very controlled and smooth test without any issues, and it is a pleasure to watch Kathleen´s position and they way she presents her horse.
3rd was a debut freestyle for KWPN stallion Desperado and Emmelie Scholtens. Yesterday this combination made their international Grand Prix debut also with a placement as no 3. The just 10 year old stallion is doing a really nice job, overall without any weaknesses. Supple trot tour with good expression and nice balance, super walk tour, and good canter tour - here the only issue is not 100% settled one times as Desperado becomes a bit tense, but with super nice quality and balance for the pirouettes. And active piaffe tours with very nice transitions - for sure a couple to keep an eye on for the future.
Just 4 combinations for Grand Prix Special
Today´s winner Betina Jæger with Mane Steam Belstaff does actually know eachother very well as Betina also was the rider of Belstaff before he was sold to the USA. When watching them yesterday and today they just seems to have a very nice partnership. Lovely power in a very good balance for the trot tour, nice crossing uphill half passes, a small lack of impulsion for the first transition into passage, but nice regular and expressive passage, easy extensions and transitions back again, 1st piaffe lack a bit more activity, nice transition to canter smooth directly from the passage, but just rewarded with 4 x 7,5 and 1 x 6,5, very nice series, judge at C gave 9 for the one times, nice pirouettes, bit stocked transition at M to trot and a bit of tension for the final piaffe. Total score of 71,532% - easily a 73-74% test.
Bakkely´s Onandt and Lone Bang Larsen 2nd today. Starts with some tensions for the entering halt moving backward, nice half passes, and good passage and extensions, becomes a bit tight in the frame for some moments, extended walk lack a bit more let go, nice collected walk, nice piaffes again today with nice angles, the canter is with an error at the very end of the 15 one times and the 1st pirouette becomes a bit unbalanced while the 2nd is a bit bigger but better balanced, nice final. 70,128%
3rd today is Danish Helene Melsen with Aston Martin. Good halt and forward, unfortunately the first extension lack some balance, active half passes tilting the head a bit for the half pass to right, good walk tour, bit of tension for the piaffes, good canter tour, but error for the 9 one times, and 2nd pirouette lack more balance and control, good final. 65,957%.
